UW, WSU sending as many players to NFL Combine as Eastern Washington

Washington and Washington State are each sending the same number of football players to the NFL Combine this week as Eastern Washington.

Desmond Trufant. (Getty Images)

One.

What does that say about the state of the UW and WSU football programs? Well, it ain?t good. We know Wazzu floundered under ex-coach Paul Wulff, but this year?s seniors were the first recruiting class for UW head coach Steve Sarkisian. Hmm.

Anyway, the only Husky headed to Indianapolis to display their talents for NFL scouts is cornerback Desmond Trufant, brother of pro corners Marcus Trufant (who went to WSU and plays for the Seahawks) and Isaiah Trufant (who went to Eastern and plays for the Jets). Desmond, the youngest Trufant brother, is declaring for this April?s NFL Draft after finishing his senior year at Washington.

Trufant had 36 total tackles, one sack, one interception and nine passes defended during the 2012 season ? arguably his worst numbers in four years as a Husky, but play that nevertheless earned him All-Pac-12 first team honors. His best season stats-wise was 2011, when he made 64 tackles, grabbed two picks, defended 16 passes and forced two fumbles.

The Tacoma native is expected to go early in the second round of the NFL Draft. The league?s official Combine website, which rated him 84.1 out of 100, had this to say:

Strengths
Legacy pick with NFL size and athleticism. Very good short-area foot quickness, mirrors receivers on the outside on double moves up the sideline or quick out routes. Capable of playing either outside or in the slot. Has speed to run with better receivers. Plays a lot of press-bail but has length and tenacity in coverage. Regularly rips off and out-quicks receiver blocks to get into position to make plays. Competes for the ball in the air and won?t back down from physical challenges from receivers.

Weaknesses
Only adequate in his overall strength and physicality, often whiffs at tackle attempts, jumping at feet or throwing a weak shoulder. Has mental lapses in coverage that lead to big plays. Poor technique in press makes him susceptible to giving up plays. Gives up the sideline in the run game when failing to get outside leverage against receiver blocks. Will open up his hips far too quickly and immediately give up inside leverage.

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Marquess Wilson. (WSU Athletics photo)

For the Cougars, wide receiver Marquess Wilson is the only player headed to Lucas Oil Stadium for the NFL Combine, which runs Wednesday through next Tuesday. He is declaring for the NFL Draft after his junior year at WSU, having finished with three school records: 3,207 career receiving yards, 14 100-yard games and four 150-yard games.

But that?s not the whole story. After nine games this past season, Wilson quit the team in November and alleged misconduct by new head coach Mike Leach?s staff. In an open letter to Cougars fans Nov. 10, Wilson said the staff practiced ?physical, emotional and verbal abuse? against their players.

Wilson quickly retracted those allegations to WSU athletic director Bill Moos, and after internal and NCAA investigations the university was cleared of wrongdoing. Now, Wilson?s indefinite suspension from the team ? when he reportedly walked out of a conditioning workout and quit ? is a considerable pock-mark on him for the NFL Draft.

NFL.com gave Wilson a score of 67.3 and expects him to be drafted. ?If teams believe he can improve the consistency of his hands and mature physically and mentally at the next level,? the NFL Combine website states, ?he could be picked in the middle rounds and contribute immediately, similarly to how Mike Williams did for Tampa Bay in 2010.?

Here?s what NFL.com had to say about his play:

Strengths
Tall strider presenting a difficult ask down the sideline for shorter defensive backs. If able to escape the jam or come off the line untouched, he covers a lot of ground in a hurry. His height and vertical jump makes him a nightmare on jump balls anywhere on the field, and he can contort his body to adjust to passes in the air. Makes catches over either shoulder down the sideline and can stay in-bounds. Drops his hips, has quick enough feet and a solid head-fake to separate at the top of the route, as well as to pull off double-moves downfield and to the sideline. Tries to run through tackles by lowering his pads and churning his feet after the catch and has a bit of open-field elusiveness, though he will run backwards and dance too much instead of taking what he can get. Will find a soft spot in the zone if his quarterback is on the run. Flashes an effective use of his length, and a bit of attitude, to take smaller defenders out in the run game.

Weaknesses
Lanky receiver, especially thin in the lower body. Will struggle with the physicality of NFL defenders off the line, when trying to get into his route, and downfield in 50/50 situations. Does not consistently use his hands to win or hold onto the ball when being hit or even feeling the hit coming. Hands reliably is severely lacking, misses on all difficulty of catches due to a lack of concentration. Doesn?t adjust to low passes as well as he does high ones. Lateral quickness against press is only average, takes time to accelerate into his route if challenged at all. Lacks technique as a blocker, when he makes the effort to reach his target, tries to overwhelm corners but fails to move his feet or maintain the angle to prevent them from entering the play.

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Brandon Kaufman. (EWU Athletics photo)

Finally, there?s the lone Eastern Washington representative, wide receiver Brandon Kaufman. He stands 6-foot-5, and after red-shirting in his junior year for wrist and knee injuries, came back for 2012 and led the team with 16 touchdown receptions, 1,850 receiving yards and 132.1 yards per game.

Kaufman shined from his freshman season on, twice earning Football Championship Subdivision All-America honors and, in 2012, helping guide the Eagles to the Big Sky championship and FCS playoffs. He is just the seventh EWU player to be invited to the NFL Combine in the past 11 years.

NFL.com, which rated him 68.0 and expects him to be drafted in the middle rounds, had this to say about Kaufman:

Strengths
Tall with long arms. Uses his size to shield defenders, and his length to catch passes off his frame. Reliable hands. Tracks the football well and attacks the ball at the highest point. Red zone and vertical weapon. Possesses good vision after the catch.

Weaknesses
Hasn?t dealt with great competition, or run a myriad of different routes. Doesn?t explode off the line, and has build up speed. Needs to be more physical in his route running. Might struggle to consistently separate at the next level.

Good luck, boys!

Visit seattlepi.com for more Seattle news. Contact sports editor Nick Eaton at nickeaton@seattlepi.com or @njeaton.

Source: http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlesports/2013/02/20/uw-wsu-sending-as-many-players-to-nfl-combine-as-eastern-washington/

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